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Waltax
The Waltax is a series of Japanese 4.5×6 folders, whose body is copied from the Ikonta A. The prewar and wartime original Waltax was made by Okada Kōgaku. Some sources say that the later Waltax cameras were made by Daiichi. The Zenobia series of folders by Daiichi is very similar to the late Waltax models. The original Waltax The original Waltax (ワルタックス) has a folding optical finder and a key to wind the film. The name Waltax is embossed in the front leather. It is offered for ¥185 in wartime advertisements (a case is sometimes offered for an extra ¥7.70). The two distributors are Nihon Shōkai and the wholesale branch of Honjō Shōkai (本庄商会卸部). In one of the ads, the maker is stated as Okakō (岡光, an abbreviation of Okada Kōgaku). When mentioned, the lens is a Kolex Anastigmat 7cm f:3.5, said to be of Tessar type, and the shutter is a Dabit Super with T, B, 1–500 speeds and a body release. The three wartime advertisements observed seem to show the same picture. The shutter plate is written OKAKO TOKYO at the top, the shutter rim is written DABIT SUPER at the bottom and the aperture is set by an index at the bottom of the shutter housing. pictures a similar camera (lens No 1402x) under the Okada entry, but the aperture is now set by an index on top of the shutter housing, and there is what looks like a depth of field knob on the top right of the body. The DABIT SUPER marking is now at the bottom of the shutter plate instead of the shutter rim. The Waltax is still advertised in 1947 . In the picture, the camera looks similar to the example pictured in McKeown, except that the depth of field knob is now on the top left. The lens is still a Kolex (No 180xx). The focal length is barely legible on the lens bezel, but it could be 7.5cm. The camera is distributed by Tōyō Shashinki-zai K.K. (東洋寫眞機材株式會社, in old writing), and there is no mention of Okada. A similar camera, with no depth of field knob, is reported with a Kolex 7.5cm f:3.5 (No 19006) . and both attribute the postwar Waltax, as well as all the following models, to Daiichi Kōgaku, but no original document has been observed yet to sustain this. On the contrary, all the models observed have Okada logos. The Waltax II and III All the later models of the Waltax have a finder enclosed in a top housing. Advertisements The Waltax II (ワルタックスⅡ型) has auto-stop film advance, an accessory shoe and a depth of field knob on the right of the top housing. It is advertised at least in 1947 , still distributed by Tōyō Shashinki-zai. There is a logo in front of the accessory shoe. The advance knob looks a little smaller than on the later models, and a small hole is visible besides, probably a double exposure prevention indicator. The Waltax III (ワルタックスⅢ型) is advertised at least in 1949 . The advertisement mentions flash synchronization and double exposure prevention. According to , these two features distinguish the III from the II, but it is highly unlikely that the II had auto-stop advance without double exposure prevention, especially in view of the ad's picture described above. The advertisement for the Waltax III seems to emphasize the flash synchronization: there is a flash synch connector added to the shutter and this portion of the picture is enlarged. This is probably the distinguishing feature between the two models. The advertisement for the Waltax III also says that it takes 620 film, the lens is mentioned as a Bio-Kolex f:3.5 and the shutter is called Dabit Compur (ダビツトコンパー), probably by mistake. In the camera pictured, the logo has moved to the front of the top housing. Description of a Waltax II An example of the Waltax with top housing but no flash synch, probably corresponding to a Waltax II, has been observed at a Yahoo Japan auction. The lens is a Bio-Kolex Anastigmat 7.5cm f:3.5 (No 22697). The shutter has B, 1–500 speeds and is not synchronized. The shutter plate is black, written OKAKO TOKYO at the top and likely DABIT SUPER at the bottom (this was only partly visible). The top housing has a depth of field knob on the right (engraved in feet in this example), with the folding bed opening button at the side. The advance knob is on the left, it has a striated top and a red arrow engraved on the rim. Very close to it, there is a small hole, certainly for double exposure prevention. The shutter release is also on the same side. The back has one red window, protected by a sliding cover. No exposure counter is visible, and it is unclear if this camera really has auto-stop advance or simply double exposure prevention. The name Waltax is embossed in the front leather. Unlike the Waltax II pictured in the ad, there is a Waltax OKAKO logo engraved in front of the top housing, and the serial number (No 21277) is engraved on the top housing in front of the accessory shoe. There is an OKAKO TOKYO logo engraved on the body struts. The back leather is missing, but in later models it is embossed with the same logo. From the Junior to the Acme The Waltax Junior The Waltax Junior (ワルタックスジュニア) is a cheaper model. The film advance is controlled by a red window in the back, protected by a sliding cover. The lens is a Bio-Kolex Anastigmat 7.5cm f:4.5 and an Okako shutter with B, 25–150 speeds. and the depth of field knob is replaced by a Waltax Junior engraving on the right of the top housing. The Waltax OKAKO logo has disappeared from the top housing, but there is an OKAKO TOKYO logo still embossed in the back leather and the shutter plate is marked OKAKO in big letters at the bottom. In view of all these Okako markings, the attribution to Daiichi is somewhat dubious. The serial number is engraved in the top housing in front of the accessory shoe. Two variants of the Waltax Junior have been observed. One of them has the same body struts as the other Waltax models, engraved with the OKAKO TOKYO logo. The other variant has simpler straight body struts (illustrated for example in ). Other variations have been observed in the shape of the advance knob. Some advance knobs have a somewhat hollow top with a red arrow engraved inside, while others have a striated top with a red arrow engraved on the rim. The shutter is sometimes synchronized with an ASA bayonet connector, sometimes not. The Waltax Junior seems to be the most common version of the Waltax. According to , it appears in magazines from 1950 to 1952. The last f:3.5 models The Waltax Senior (ワルタックスシニア) is similar to the Waltax III, and the features that distinguish them are unknown. According to , the Waltax Deluxe (ワルタックスデラックス) is the same camera with a selftimer added. The Waltax Acme (ワルタックスアクメ) is a rangefinder version. The coupled rangefinder, separate from the viewfinder and enclosed in the top housing, is inspired by the Super Ikonta: a pivoting arm mounted on the shutter housing supports a rotating lens in front of one of the two round rangefinder windows. According to , the other characteristics are the same as the Waltax III and it appears in 1951 and 1952 magazines. Notes # For example . # — Advertisement for the Waltax, visible in Nostalgic Camera, a page of old Japanese ads by Toshio Inamura, originally published between 1942 and 1945. — The background of this advertisement is a map of Southeast Asia, it is written that the Waltax is rapidly expanding in the Southern Coprosperity Sphere (a Japanese expression designating the Asian territories that they were occupying): "南方共榮圏ニ躍進スルワルタックス". # # Its address was Tōkyō-to Chiyoda-ku Kanda-Awaji-chō 2, 4 (東京都千代田區神田淡路町２の４). # Sold in the Apr 23, 2002 Photographic Sale by Bearne's, lot No 91. # # Printed sources * Item 345. * Pages 239 and 745. Web sources * Advertisement for the Waltax, visible in Nostalgic Camera, a page of old Japanese ads by Toshio Inamura, originally published between 1942 and 1945. * * Catalogue of the Apr 23, 2002 Photographic Sale by Bearne's. Links In French: * Waltax Junior page at Mario Groleau's site In Japanese: * Waltax at Puppy's Island In Chinese: * Okako Waltax, one big picture Category: Japanese 4.5x6 viewfinder folding Category: Japanese 4.5x6 rangefinder folding Category: W